Folding crate.



No.654,06|. Paientedvllrly I7, 1900. E. L. GREGORY.

moms CRATE.

(Application filed Mar. 2, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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EMMA L. GREGORY, OF KOSCIUSKQ.MISSISSIPPI.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,061, dated July 17,1900.

Application filed March 2, 1900. Serial No. 7,094. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMA L. GREGORY, a citizenof the United States,residing at Kosciusko, in the county of Attala and State of Mississippi,have invented a new and useful Folding Crate, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to shipping-crates which areV especially designedfor shipping poultry, and has for its object to provide an improveddevice of this character which may be folded or knocked down intocompact form for return shipment. It is furthermore designed to providean improved arrangement of a drinking or feed receptacle which isfixedly connected to the crate, so as to be held against accidentaldisplacement during transportation and also is located so as to beeectively housed and protected by the parts of the crate in the foldedposition thereof.

With these and other objects in View the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within thescope of the claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a foldingshipping-crate in its set-up or normal position and constructedaccording to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectionalview thereof. Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view showing the crate inits folded or knocked-down position.

Corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings aredesignated by like characters of reference.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the bottom of thecrate, which is of rectangular form and provided upon its under sidewith transverse strips or cleats 2 to form shoulders upon which thecrate is designed to lrest for a purpose as will be hereinafter morefully described.

Secured to the upper side of the bottom and extending flush with theopposite longitudinal edges thereof are the opposite strips 3, to

lthe upper faces of which are hingedly connected the respectivesidersections 4L, which are foldable inwardly in opposite directions.vThe opposite end sections are hinged directly to the upper side of thebottom, so as to fold inwardly and lie iiat upon said bottom, asindicated in Fig. 3, and by reason of the vstrips 3 the side sectionsare elevated sufficiently to fold flat against the outer or upper sidesof the end sections. It will be observed that the combined length ofeither pair of opposite foldable sections is not equal to the length ofthe bottom piece in any direction, so that when the side sections arefolded there is a central exposed portion of theupper side of the bottompiece. I utilize this exposed portion of the bottom piece for thelocation of a receptacle 6, which is designed to hold water or feed forthe poultry and is fixedly connected to the bottom piece in anypreferred manner, so that it may not become displaced during shipment.

In order that the foldable side sections may be xedly connected in thenormal or set-up position of the crate, I provide a top 7 ofsubstantially the same shape and dimensions as the bottom piece. Eachside piece of the frame of the top is provided with a plurality ofbolt-openings 8, preferably two, that are adjacent to the respectiveopposite ends of the side, and said perforations or openings aredesigned to register with corresponding bolt-openings 9, formed throughthe top side of the respective foldable side sections to receive therespective bolts 10, which havev rounded or countersunk heads at theupper or outer side of the top, and nuts 11, provided at their oppositeends and bearing against the lower faces of the sides of the foldablesections. The top is also provided with a centrally-located hinged door12, whichis disposed above the receptacle or pan 6 in order that thelatter may be readily accessible for placing the feed or water therein.The depth of the pan is such that when the sides are folded inwardly theouter faces'thereof are above or outwardly beyond the upper edge of thepan, so that the top is immediately above the pan and the latter iseectively housed and protected in the folded position of the crate.

IOO

When the side and end sections are folded inwardly, they exposebolt-openings 13, that are formed through the bottom piece and registerwith similar bolt-openings 14, formed in the ends of the foldable sidesections, so that the respective fastening-bolts 10 may pass throughthese openings and project at the under side of the bottom piece for thereception of the nuts 11, whereby the parts of the crate are firmly heldin their folded positions. It will now be seen that the cleats orshoulders 2 project outwardly beyond the ends of the bolts in the foldedposition of the crate in order that the latter may rest firmly uponanother crate, and the bolts do not form projections or obstructions toprevent a compact and firm piling of a plurality of crates one upon theother.

It will be understood that the bars forming the frames of the end andside sections may be joined in any manner commonly known to carpentersand joiners and also the wire screen material may be secured to suchframes in any well-known or preferred manner.

In a folding poultry-crate, the combination with a bottom, having a feedor water receptacle xed centrally to the upper side thereof, of oppositeside sections hinged to fold in-V wardly upon the upper side ofthebottom and terminating short of the receptacle when the crateis folded,the upper faces of certain of the side sections being above the upperedge of the receptacle, and a removable top or cover to connectvthe sidesections in the opposite positions thereof and to cover and protect thereceptacle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses. Y

EMMA L. GREGORY. Witnessesi Z. T. LEE, J. H. LovE.

